Unit 1Music Theory I

The Staff, Notes and Pitches

Music is written on a STAFF of five lines and the four spaces between.

Music NOTES are oval-shaped symbols that are placed on the lines and in the spaces. They represent musical sounds, called PITCHES.

The Staff, Notes and Pitches

The lines of the staff are numbered from bottom to top.

The spaces between the lines are also numbered from bottom to top.

1 23 4 5

1 23 4

The Staff, Notes and Pitches

If the notes appear higher on the staff, they sound higher in pitch.If the notes appear lower on the staff, they sound lower in pitch.

Lower Higher

Treble Clef and Staff

Music notes are named after the first seven letters of the alphabet, from A to G. By their position on the staff, they can represent the entire range of musical sound.

CLEF signs help to organize the staff so notes can easily be read.

The TREBLE CLEF is used for notes in the higher pitch ranges. The treble (or G) clef has evolved from a stylized letter G.

The curl of the treble clef circles the line on which the note G is placed. This G is above MIDDLE C (the C nearest the middle of the keyboard.)

C GG

Treble Clef and Staff

In the treble staff, the names of the notes on the lines from bottom to top are E, G, B, D, F.

*Remember “Every Good Boy Does Fine”

The names of the notes in the spaces from bottom to top are F, A, C, E.

*Remember “FACE”

Treble Clef and Staff

C E F G A B C D E F

Bass Clef and Staff

The BASS CLEF (pronounced “base”) is used for notes in the lower pitch ranges. The bass (or F) clef has evolved from a stylized letter F.

The two dots of the bass clef surround the line on which the note F is placed. This F is below middle C.

F C

Bass Clef and Staff

In the bass staff, the names of the notes on the lines from bottom to top are G, B, D, F, A.

*Remember “Good Boys Do Fine Always”

The names of the notes in the spaces from bottom to top are A, C, E, G.

*Remember “All Cows Eat Grass”

Bass Clef and Staff

The Grand Staff

When the bass and treble staffs are connected by a brace and a line, they combine to form the GRAND STAFF.

Ledger Lines – The Middle Notes

LEDGER LINES are short lines which are added to extend the range of the staff when the notes are too low or too high to be written on the staff.

The notes in the middle range of the grand staff are B, C and D. They can be written on ledger lines in both the bass and treble staffs. Notice how G, A and E can also be written as ledger lines in the opposite staff.

Ledger Lines – The Middle Notes

G A B C D E

Ledger Lines – Low and High Notes

More than one ledger line may be added to extend the lower and upper ranges of the grand staff. The next higher notes of the treble staff are G, A, B and C.

The next lower notes of the bass staff are F, E, D and C

C G A B C CC DE F

Ledger Lines – Low and High Notes

All the notes on the grand staff from bass clef Low C to treble clef High C: